Why does man think of things beyond himself?

In all of material creation, only man is open to the infinite; he alone can have a
concept of God and hunger for ultimate answers. Philosophy says that man is
capable of TRANSCENDENCE*, that he can surpass himself. He fully comes into his
own only by recognizing and understanding what is other, greater, and more
important than himself: God, the source of all life. Because man is open to God,
he can also be open for other people and show them respect. Community,
dialogue, and the recognition of the other lead him closer to himself.
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*Transcendence (from the Latin transcendere = to climb over)” by his very
existence man points beyond himself and cannot be understood without his
relation to God.

The Desire for happiness.

[CCC-1718]

The Beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness. This desire is of divine
origin: God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw man to the One who
alone can fulfill it:
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** “We all want to live happily; in the whole human race there is no one who
does not assent to this proposition, even before it is fully articulated. (St
Augustine, De moribus eccl., 1, 3, 4: PL 32, 1312)”

** “How is it, then, that I seek you, Lord? Since in seeking you, my God, I seek a
happy life, let me seek you so that my soul may live, for my body draws life from
my soul and my soul draws life from you. (St. Augustine, Conf. 10, 20: PL 32, 791)”

** “God alone satisfies. (St. Thomas Aquinas, Expos, in symb. Apost. I)”

What makes every human being unique?

Every human being is unique because he or she was willed by God as an

unrepeatable person, created out of love, and redeemed with even greater love.
This shows us what dignity the human person has and how important it is to take
everyone quite seriously as a person and to threat him with the greatest respect.

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This requirement applies also to political systems and institutions. They must not
only respect the freedom and dignity of the human person. They should
contribute to the comprehensive development of every person. A community
cannot exclude individuals or entire groups from development.
---
** “We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is
the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is
necessary. (Pope Benedict XVI, Homily at the Mass for the inauguration of his
Pontificate on April 24, 2005.)”

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